


Pure Ideas

by Skeren



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Play, Gen, Master/Pet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-19 11:42:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5966143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeren/pseuds/Skeren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was one swift change, a moment's pause, then Sephiroth decided to take an entirely different route to madness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pure Ideas

**Author's Note:**

> Written September 2007 for Springkink. This one was long enough I decided to give it its own entry as well. Might get a second chapter if the sequel I am half convinced I wrote actually exists.

His awareness was filled with Mother, the intense, addictive touch of one who loved him having been burned across his mind. If he had been more alert, he would have found the sensation repugnant, distasteful as the invasion it was. At the moment, however, it seemed that the choice had been taken from his hands. 

He could not move, was in fact securely chained down in something that could only be a vehicle of some kind. His head throbbed horribly, and his senses were otherwise muddled, as though he’d been drugged. As it stood, it took him far longer than it should have for him to resolve the voices coming from somewhere above his head to be just that. Voices.

“Zack, he went insane out there! He nearly killed Tifa. What if he does it again? We can’t risk him doing this to another village. It wouldn’t be right. As is I’m not sure I can forgive him. I’m not sure I even want to.”

He had to struggle to bring to clarity what could have made the teen as angry as he sounded. The flickers of flame and blood slowly revealed themselves, and he found that there was no remorse in him. Those events had been something that had been long in coming.

“And you saw just what was luring him in, same as I did! It was some freaky alien whosawhat that was getting him to call it mother. It’s... I’m not saying we should leave him alone. I didn’t mean it like that. We’ll keep an eye on him, you and me, and we’ll make sure this never happens again.”

“Okay, Zack. But we have to be careful, okay?” 

“Okay, Spike.” The murmur was rough, low, and then both fell silent. 

He felt himself being pulled back from the edge of awareness, either by drugs or pain he wasn’t certain, but he did vaguely recall hearing mother’s frustrated scream at the edge of his perception before he was pulled into the dark of unconsciousness once more.

-o-o-o-o-

When he next woke, it was far quieter. The room was just that, a room, with bare walls and an actual bed. He was still bound, though it was only at the wrists, and he wondered if they were truly intended to restrain him, considering how little it took for him to snap them and set them aside, only leaving quickly fading bruises in the wake of the action.

Perhaps they had been trusting in him to leave them on? Somehow, he had doubts of that, considering the snippets of talk he had heard on the drive back to wherever they were. 

But, as he moved through the empty corridors of the building, he became aware of voices, lower, cautious words being traded, and he took care not to reveal himself as he approached their source.

“What are we going to do with him? We can’t stay here Zack. Even if we wanted to, the military would come after us eventually, wouldn’t they? We kidnapped Sephiroth! I’m surprised it’s not all over the news yet that he’s gone missing.”

“Spike. It’s not on the news because it would give them a bad rap. Hell, Nibelheim isn’t even on the news and you know as well as I do that what happened there was a big deal.”

“Zack...”

“No. We can’t leave. Remember? We have to keep an eye on him, get him back to normal. Things should be okay then, right?”

“You’re an optimist Zack. You know that right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Even though he felt the bare brushes, intense and careful at the edges of his mind, he took pains to ignore them, focusing entirely on the pair beyond the doorway to block away the craving to go back to that place, to be powerless to those wants again. Then he stepped forward so that he could be seen. “You do not need to fear my having a relapse.”

They both twitched, violet and blue eyes both flicking to him in a heartbeat, and he lingered in the door frame, meeting Zack’s gaze first, then the almost bitter one of the blond. 

“I am away from what was influencing me, for now, so here, at least, you need not fear me returning to the state I was in previously.”

Cloud’s back had straightened, the edge of a hurt glare lingering under the intense stare he was being given. “You mean to say you destroyed my hometown because you were under the influence of something else?”

He paused, considered the words. “No. No, I did not say that at all. Merely... my inhibitions were being handled quite differently while I was there.” He did not look away from the gaze. “I hate most of humankind. I said unkind things, and I cannot say that the words and actions were unmeant.”

“Seph... Damn it, how can we ever trust you if you go saying things like that?” This was from Zack, the tone quietly anguished, and he realized that the man had still been trying to believe in him, in his lack of will. He could not admit to such a thing.

“I do not expect your trust. I do not expect your forgiveness. I merely expect you to carry out the task that you have chosen for yourselves. So long as you remain with me... then I will not be a danger to the world. I shall treat this as a promise.”

“You heard- You just- All of this was for a little company?!” 

He shook his head slowly and stepped back, lips quirking the tiniest bit in a fairly mocking smile. “No. It was because of the promise of love. One that still wants my attention even.” 

With that, he inclined his head and left the room, hearing intense cursing from behind him.

They would, in and of themselves, not be enough. He was aware of that, and he shifted his attention to thinking of things that would perhaps aid him in distraction from the steady pull that sought to draw him away from here.

He also, after a moment’s thought, realized that Shinra, as well, would need to be dissuaded from his use.

Turning the matter over in his mind, he decided to allow the thoughts to come to him in their own.

-o-o-o-o-

The answer did not come to him until he overheard Cloud furiously muttering under his breath that he should wear a bell, having apparently been startled once too often for his liking in the past week. He had watched the blond storm from the room before Zack had met his eyes, an almost regretful look there.

“Too bad you aren’t really a kitty Seph, that’s not really a bad idea for you.”

He did, of course, ignore the bewildered look Zack gave him as his thoughts turned over the proposal and he slipped from the room. The brunet likely had simply not expected to be abandoned in the kitchen so abruptly.

-o-o-o-o-

The sensation at the edge of his thoughts was not happy. He was aware of that, but it had been growing more demanding and forceful in his mind as he had started placing calls, not pre-informing the other two as to what they were about.

Reeve was a useful contact, the first that he made aware that he was alive, as were the other two. He informed him of what he needed specifically, and while there was shock enough from the other end to command total silence, he simply reconfirmed them and made certain the man knew that he did expect the solution to be found and made. 

Once he had determined that he would acquire those items, as soon as the mechanics of them were properly dealt with, he sought out the blond, watching him for long moments as he restlessly moved from one end of the yard to the other, practicing near vicious jabs and cuts through the air.

“Cloud.”

The word alone was enough to freeze the smaller figure in place, most likely due to the fact he had, until then, resisted the urge to call the teen by his first name at all. 

“What do you want?” The blond turned to him, looking more resigned than anything. In the last weeks, the anger had simmered to a low resentment, something often put away as nothing more happened. Eventually, perhaps, even that would be set far enough aside to not affect day to day life. It was, in fact, something he counted on.

“I heard you make a comment about me needing a bell, as one would collar a feline?”

An uncomprehending stare was the answer at first, then the other slowly nodded, blade tip dropping to rest against the grass. “Yeah... What about it?”

“Acquire one. A collar as well.” The blond didn’t react. If anything, the blond seemed... to have gone into shock, staring at him with wide eyes as though he’d never seen him before. At least, the attention did not seem particularly horrified this time.

When, finally, something came from the teen’s throat, it was little more than an incredulous squeak. “You want me... to get you a collar and bell?”

“Yes. Something that I could wear constantly without it being damaged or it damaging me, if you would.” He met the look for a moment more, and then dipped his head. “If any were to be awarded such an endeavor, it would be you, of course.”

He caught the flicker of comprehension, but did not linger to see if anger would follow it, instead slipping back inside.

-o-o-o-o-

It had taken three days for the blond to acquire something, just a slender black strip with a small bell, nothing that would irritate him through use, at least not to the point of him deciding to remove it. When he’d been offered it, the blond looking far more serious than he had, without anger for the first time since this entire circumstance had begun, his reaction had been to crouch and sweep his hair aside.

They both understood the meaning of that, and Cloud had not refused what he was being given, badly forged consolation or no. Once the collar was on, he left the room, soft jangles from the silver echoing almost inaudibly after him.

For the benefit of the blond, of course.

-o-o-o-o-

The rest had come another week after that. Surprisingly fast considering the degree of advanced technology he had more or less demanded. When he asked, he was only told that prior experiments had touched on the cybertronics, and the neural interfacing had apparently been something that had been done, though where he was not told. 

Reeve firmly stated that it wouldn’t be more than a day or two later that they would be found by Shinra proper, so whatever he was going to do, he had best do it quickly. He also said that if there were problems or pain after initial application, he had better call him, because he wasn’t going to get himself blamed because he fiddled around in something that he knew he wasn’t supposed to be. In all, Reeve had covered his own bases in the call, and in honesty, he did not really care.

Instead, he turned his attention to the contents of the box, which was not as big as he had expected. He could feel the other two lurking nearby, wanting to know what was going on, but they would be aware quickly enough.

In fact, the entirety of Shinra’s upper ranks would likely know quickly enough. That would be the perfect fall back to ensure that he was not forced out of the company of these two and back into that of the leech that was his mother. 

He slipped from the room before they could look, closing the door firmly behind him.

-o-o-o-o-

It was surprisingly difficult to fit his new acquisitions, and he was aware that, on some level, he had decided to humiliate himself for the rest of his life. On another level, he knew that this would be the most freedom he had, or ever would, know, because truly, this would not be the kind of madness that Shinra would be able to use. It would be an excuse he had never before had to rebel and stay where he wished to be.

He knew that there would be no recourse, as even if the other two had not forgiven him, their grievance was not one that they would allow to be taken up by the company, which would sooner dismiss it or destroy him entirely. If there was one thing he knew, it was that those two would not see him destroyed. Not while he willingly put himself under their power as he had this last month. 

In a way, this would gain that power back for him, but he would say nothing. After all, felines were not the speaking kind. They were arrogant, willful, and did as they chose. 

It was as though the role was practically designed for this very situation. 

Carefully pulling the claws into place, he studied the way the snug material curved almost invisibly over the very tip of each of his fingers into a retractable claw. It was a bit painful, as the back bite of the claw was a set of three small metal wires just above the joint of his finger that would allow him to physically control the automated portion of the claw. Waiting patiently for the ache to fade, he carefully flexed his hand, taking the time to get familiar with the sensation required to get them to work as he knew they were supposed to.

He settled both sets, then studied the way they left a bit of a swell on the backs of his pale nails. In all, it was far from as unsightly as he feared it would be. Taking care that he did not accidentally set off his claws, he moved until he located a mirror, turning his head slightly once he ascertained the best position for the silvery white ears. Deciding on a placement that wouldn’t look too unnatural, he worked on settling first one of the appendages in place, then the other, the sting a bit sharper, as they took more to remain secured, but once he determined they were fully in place, he worked out the same issue the claws had given him, slowly figuring out how to make them move, the base remaining firmly in one place while the other parts slowly moved, reacting to what he was trying to do. He could not, yet, get everything to react exactly as he wanted, but it all worked.

So far at least. In time, he would learn to have more control over the items, and he would have time. 

He would do everything in his power to ensure he would. The rest, unfortunately, hinged on trust.

Stripping the remainder of his clothes, something he abruptly realized would likely be in the way hereafter, as he had no intention of removing and reapplying these items unless strictly required, and it seemed that, according to the note that came with them that indicated water resistance, it would not be unless he wished it, he folded them and set them aside. He would not need them anyway. 

He collected the last of the pieces to the ensemble. A tail, the only visible attachment a flexible metal rod of sorts that extended from the base of it, and looked it over. There was a small pattern of white amid the silver, a barely visible alternating shift that made him wonder again at the speed of creation considering the details. Had something of this nature formerly been in the works? Deciding to give it no further thought, he checked closer to the edges, seeing a few smaller prongs. They would likely keep it from twisting, and his own natural healing seemed to be a factor in keeping everything firmly in place. 

This, he did not really need a mirror for, so he didn’t use one, fingers mapping out the length of the metal from the end before he moved a hand to rest at the base of his spine, where his tailbone was. If he wasn’t careful, this would hurt very badly for at least a few days, though he would heal. Unlike most, he would heal. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the sharp edge against skin and carefully inserted the last piece of the shift in identity under the skin, hands forcefully steady so he didn’t fail it on the first try.

When the smaller bits sank into skin, he relaxed, realizing that he hadn’t temporarily paralyzed himself as his legs held. Good. Now, to see if he had pressed it close enough to the spine for it to pick up what he needed it to so it would be movable. Eying the new appendage, he worked on figuring out how to make it react, finding it more difficult than the smaller pieces. 

Either he’d done it wrong, it was broken, or he had to be more patient. In any case, the other two seemed to have had enough of waiting to see what he was doing with his mail.

And it was his mail too, as it had been given right to his hands before the messenger had left.

Of course, the first words he heard weren’t quite what he expected.

“Oh my fucking gods. Spike, am I really seeing what I think I’m seeing?”

The blond had no answer, blinking a few times and giving him a look rather similar to when he’d asked him to get the collar for this. 

He did not move, and neither did they, the tension that ran down his back, however, finally got the tail to twitch. One slow back and forth flick that indicated, in a manner he hadn’t quite intended, that their staring was unappreciated. At least the appendage worked.

Two, three counting his own, sets of eyes tracked to the limb, though his immediately looked back to the pair to determine what reaction would come after shock. 

Zack shifted from foot to foot. Cloud ended up staring intently at his toes.

Silence drew out.

Shaking his head slowly, he padded towards the pair, getting used to the way the metal reinforced tail shifted his balance, and he tilted his head at them, eyes narrowing the slightest bit. “No opinion?”

“You’re naked.” Zack spoke first.

“Yes, I know.”

“You’re wearing cat parts.” And Zack continued, though Cloud looked sideways, and he was fairly certain that it wasn’t the new appendages that were being studied. Interesting. Perhaps he would find another way to appease the boy’s grief?

“I am aware of that as well.”

Blue eyes tracked upwards, slowly, and he asked the question they were really both thinking. “Why?”

“You both want me to not destroy any more towns and cities.” He reached up, touched the blond’s cheek before he could twitch away, then looked sideways at the black haired man, a small smirk crossing his face. “And I refuse to not do so without you here. So I found a compromise. As I am already, in essence, to be the pet of you both, I chose a method that would leave me useless to Shinra.”

He slipped past them, stretching a little to get used to the sensation of having metal in his back. When he looked over his shoulder at them, their gazes were still on him. Hmm, he could use those looks. In fact... he would invite those looks, once he was used to this. After he got used to the concept of allowing them to pet him in less intimate ways.

“I trust that the two of you can keep my relative sanity to yourselves.”

With that, he slipped out of their sight towards the kitchen. 

One step of things was completed, and, truly, it was just the first of many. That did not mean that he did not need to eat in the meantime.


End file.
